Rule of Law – laws must be made for everyone, no one is above the law

Amendment – Change to the Constitution, formal = written change, Informal = implied changes

Special Session – Calling congress together in an emergency

Article – One of the seven sections of the constitution

Continuous Body – The Senate because 2/3 of the senators are not running for reelection

Impeach – charge a federal official with a crime

Bureaucrat – someone who works in a large organization

Libel – writing an untruth about someone that causes them harm

Slander – saying an untruth about someone that causes them harm

Extradition – sending an accused person back to the state where they are accused of committing a crime or where they have been sentenced

Filibuster – trying to talk a bill to death, unlimited debate

Cloture – stopping debate, shutting down a filibuster

Joint resolution – a motion by both houses of congress to declare war, amend the constitution etc.

1. Constitutional Principles a. Federalism – division of power between national and local/state governments b. Separation of powers – creates branches of government c. Checks and balances – each branch has limited control over the others d. Limited Government – government can only do what society says it can e. Popular sovereignty – people are the power of the government f. Judicial Review – the courts decide whether acts of government are allowed by the constitution 2. Three ways power is distributed a. Unitary – all power of government comes from one location b. Confederate – independent states/countries come together for a common purpose while keeping their independence c. Federal – sharing of power between local/state government and a national government 3. 3 branches of Government a. Legislative – makes laws and policy b. Executive – executes the laws and policies created by congress c. Judicial – Decides the meaning of law and settles disputes 4. The controversy between the first two political parties a. Federalists wanted bigger stronger central national government b. Anti federalists/Democrat-Republicans want smaller national powers, states rights 5. Compromise – about representation a. Created bicameral legislature i. Senate represents the states equally 2 senators each state ii. House represents the people and is based on States population, at least 1 Rep. per state 6. 1st Ten Amendments – Bill of Rights 7. Explain and List a. Delegated powers – Powers given to national government in constitution b. – powers kept by the states, not delegated to national government c. – powers that can be used by both the national and state governments 8. Taxes a. Progressive – the more money you make the higher percentage of taxes you pay and the less you make the less you pay b. Regressive – taxes are paid regardless of your income 9. – says the government cannot establish its own religion, wall between government and religion 10. Four Properties of a State a. Land b. Population c. Government d. Sovereignty 11. Five Weaknesses of the Government under the Articles of Confederation a. No Judiciary b. No Executive c. No ability to Tax d. No ability to Borrow e. No ability to regulate the economy 12. Declaration of Independence written to get colonist’s to support the break from England 13. Congressional and Presidential elections are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November even numbered years 14. Committees are created to help congress do its job. The chairmen are chosen based on seniority 15. Similarities between house and senate a. Similar i. Method of election b. Differences i. Debate limited in house, unlimited in senate ii. Rule committee in house not in senate iii. Only house starts revenue bills iv. Only senate approves treaties and presidential appointments 16. 25th amendment a. vp takes powers of president if president is disabled b. if no vp president can appoint one 17. Presidential succession a. Vp b. Speaker of the house c. President pro tempore of the senate 18. Electoral college is source of controversy because a candidate can win the popular vote but lose the election a. Electors are chosen by the political parties b. Each state has electors based on the number of representatives plus the two senators c. Since every state has at least 1 representative and every state has two senators, the smallest states have at least 3 electors 19. President must be a. 35 years old b. natural born citizen c. lived in USA last 14 years 20. President appoints someone to a government position, the senate holds hearings, the full senate takes a vote 21. Significant Cases a. Marbury v. Madison created Judicial Review b. Plessey v. Ferguson allowed for legal discrimination, Separate but Equal 22. Federal Constitutional Court Judges appointed for life 23. Jurisdiction a. Original hears a case for the first time, trial courts b. Appellate hears a case from lower courts to decide if you were treated fairly